Many rich criminals prove that the idea “crime doesn’t pay” isn’t totally true. Some World’s Richest Gangsters show us that they can make a lot of money from illegal activities, even though most people think crime doesn’t work out well. Only a few of them get serious punishments like going to jail or being killed, and only a small number can actually enjoy their illegal money. In the 1900s, a few criminals got really rich by selling alcohol and drugs during the Prohibition time.
Nowadays, the richest criminals make money by bringing cocaine from Colombia, through Mexico, and into the United States. To figure out who the most wanted criminals are, Forbes magazine talked to authorities in the United States and around the world. All the people on the list are accused of crimes, some in their own country’s courts and some in international courts.
Here’s a list of the top ten richest gangsters in history.
José Figueroa Agosto
He moved up in the criminal world by killing someone who took cocaine he was supposed to transport. He got caught and got a 200-year prison sentence. He managed to escape jail by faking a release order. His gang controlled almost all of the drug trade into Puerto Rico.
Yaganathan Pillay
People think he’s a drug dealer. He got caught with illegal guns and a lot of money. We don’t know how much money he has exactly.
“Fat Tony” Salerno
He was a big mafia boss in New York. He did things like loan sharking and gambling. He had around $1 billion when he died.
| Gangster | Highlights |
|---|---|
| José Figueroa Agosto | – Escaped jail using a fake release order |
| – Controlled 90% of drug trade into Puerto Rico | |
| Yaganathan Pillay | – Known as “Teddy Mafia” |
| – Caught with illegal guns and money | |
| “Fat Tony” Salerno | – Led powerful mafia in New York |
| – Net worth around $1 billion | |
| Semion Mogilevich | – Worth about $10 billion |
| – Involved in killings, drug trade, and more | |
| Amado Carrillo Fuentes | – Known as “Master of the Skies” |
| – Used planes for global drug transport | |
| Griselda Blanco | – Pioneered Miami cocaine trade |
| – Linked to thousands of murders | |
| Frank Lucas | – Directly imported heroin from Asia |
| – Had about $52 million net worth | |
| Al Capone | – Wealth from illegal alcohol sales, gambling, more |
| – Worth around $1.3 billion (adjusted) | |
| Dawood Ibrahim | – Involved in terrorism, drugs, and more |
| – Worth about $6.7 billion | |
| Pablo Escobar | – Known as “King of Cocaine” |
| – Net worth around $30 billion |
Semion Mogilevich
A Russian guy in crime who’s worth about $10 billion. He did a lot of bad things like killing and drug dealing.
Amado Carrillo Fuentes
A Mexican drug boss who used planes to move drugs. He died during surgery to change his look.He died in a Mexican facility in July 1997 after undergoing general plastic surgery to change his appearance.
Griselda Blanco
She was a Colombian drug boss who brought cocaine to the U.S. and was involved in many murders. She was killed in 2012.
Frank Lucas
He sold drugs in Harlem and got drugs directly from Asia. He had about $52 million. He went to jail for selling drugs.
Al Capone
He was a big deal during the time when alcohol was illegal. He made a lot of money from illegal activities like selling alcohol and gambling.
Dawood Ibrahim
He’s from India and is wanted for many crimes including drugs. He’s worth around $6.7 billion.India and the United States first gave him the label of “global fear monger” in 2003. As a result of his admission of guilt for the 1993 bombings in Bombay, he received a $25 million reward.
Pablo Escobar
He was a Colombian drug boss and the richest criminal ever. He had about $30 billion and was known for selling a lot of cocaine.
These people show that crime can make you rich, but usually not for very long. Even though they did bad things, they show us the dark side of human nature and how they impact society.
